Maertai Ruoxi
# Maertai Ruoxi is the younger sister of Maertai Ruolan, the 8th Prince Yinsi's concubine. Zhang Xiao from the 21st century was mysteriously transported in her 13 year old body (16 in the drama) and had been living as her since then, until death. Personality At the very start, the inexperienced Ruoxi was unruly and daring. This earned her the nickname of Going-All-Out 13th Sister, since 13th Prince Yinxiang was also a wild horse. However, seeing how Ruolan was always bullied by the Gororo sisters, Ruoxi soon learns that her sister was never happy after she married 8th Prince. Ruoxi begins to grow into a mature and sensible lady to ease her sister of worry as a repayment. After she entered the Forbidden City (the Palace) as Emperor Kangxi's servant girl, she became a reserved, careful girl who chose her words carefully. Background Maertai Ruoxi is the youngest daughter of General Maertai, born in 1691 A.D. (because the book states that she was 13 years old in 1704 A.D.). Her older sister, the only sibling that shares the same mother as her, is Maertai Ruolan (马尔泰·若兰). Ruolan is the second wife of the 8th Prince, Yinsi (胤禩). Before Zhang Xiao was transported into Ruoxi's body, Ruoxi was sent to Ruolan's place in preparation for the maiden selection to be Emporer Kangxi's concubine. She willingly stayed at 8th Prince's place because it was boring back at home and she haven't seen Ruolan ever since she married off. Ruoxi would enter into the Palace when she is 16 years old (6 months later in the drama). History 8th Prince's House A normal white-collared 25 year-old lady, Zhang Xiao (张晓), finds that her soul has been mysteriously transported through time to the Qing Dynasty during Emperor Kangxi's reign after she suffered a near fatal car accident in the 21st century. She woke up thinking that she was in a historical drama TV set, but after questioning the family maid Qiao Hui, she learned that she was in 1704 A.D. (book version) and her new identity is that of a 13 year old Manchurian girl (16 in the drama), Maertai Ruoxi, (马尔泰·若曦) a daughter of a Manchu general. Qiao Hui told Zhang Xiao that she had lost her memories when Ruoxi fell down a set of staircase, where Zhang Xiao suspects that Princess Mingyu pushed her. At the same time, she crossed paths with the 4th Prince, Yinzhen (胤禛), the 9th Prince Yintang (胤禟), and forged close friendships with the 10th Prince, Yin'e (胤饿), the 13th Prince, Yinxiang (胤祥) and the 14th Prince, Yinti (胤禵). At the very start, Zhang Xiao was desperate to look for ways to return to the 21st century, but at last 4th Prince convinced her to continue surviving as Ruoxi. During her stay in 8th Prince's house, the inexperienced Ruoxi was unruly and daring. She fought with Princess Gororo Mingyu (郭络罗·明玉) whose older sister is the first wife of the 8th Prince, Gororo Minghui (郭络罗·明慧), and who always bullied Ruoxi's sister Maertai Ruolan. Ruoxi also drank with Yinxiang (13th) until well after midnight, a behavior which was strictly unacceptable in that generation. Before entering the Palace, Yinsi began to fall in love with Ruoxi. She rejected him for two reasons: Firstly, she didn't want to share a husband with her sister despite knowing that her sister had no feelings for the 8th Prince. Secondly, she knew that Yinsi's ambition for the throne would ultimately lead to his death after 4th Prince Yinzhen's succession to the throne. She rejected him initially but slowly, she softened her attitude towards him and fell in love with him. Tea-serving Lady As Ruoxi entered the Palace at the age of 16, she began a relationship with 8th Prince in hopes of asking him to give up on the throne. However, despite Yinsi loving her, he worked hard all his life for the throne and could not give up one for the other. In the end, they broke up due to Yinsi's greed for the throne. Before their break up, Ruoxi warned Yinsi about Yinzhen and a few of Yinzhen's trusted supporters. After breaking up with Yinsi, Ruoxi began to see the good side of Yinzhen (4th) and unwillingly but genuinely fell in love with him. Meanwhile,Yinsi and his supporters, acting on Ruoxi's warning, framed Yinzhen of plotting against the crown prince, Yinreng (胤礽), a plot that impacted both Yinzhen and Yinreng. Yinsi however did not anticipate that 13th Prince Yinxiang, who was close to Yinzhen, would come forward and take the blame. Yinxiang was subsequently placed under house arrest. After the incident, Yinsi then knew that Ruoxi was romantically involved with Yinzhen. Yinzhen left Ruoxi to plot for the throne. Laundry Department Shortly after the incident, Emperor Kangxi started to favour 14th prince Yinti and wanted to let Ruoxi be 14th's concubine. However, Ruoxi, whose heart was still with Yinzhen, defied his order and as a penalty for her actions, she was demoted to the laundry department. At the beginning of her stay there, she was bullied quite badly and was sexually harrassed by the head eunuch. She settled it in a breeze by bribing the girls who bullied her and of course, the other princes also bribed the head eunuch so she would have an easier time there. A few years after Ruoxi's demotion to the laundry department, Emperor Kangxi eventually died due to old age and illness. Yinzhen then staged a successful coup with help from Longkodo and Nian Gengyao and ascended the throne. Yinxiang was released from custody and Ruoxi was promoted from a laundry department servant to a high positioned Palace Lady. She did not do any work as a Place Lady, but she remained as Yinzhen's lover with the official title of Palace Lady. It seemed like it was the start of her happiness and the end of all her hardships but it was actually the beginning of yet more hardship. Tragic Endings and Emotional Breakdown Yinzhen, even after getting the throne, ruthlessly persecuted Yinsi and his followers and Ruoxi's happiness was marred by Yinzhen's paranoia. The couple had a serious argument due to Yinsi. Princess Minghui, out of love and feelings of injustice for Yinsi, disclosed the fact that the only reason why Yinsi took action against Yinzhen was because of Ruoxi's advice many years ago. Ruoxi was rudely shocked and at the same time, witnessed the gruesome death of her best friend, Yu Tan, who was indirectly killed by Yinzhen for helping the venomous 9th prince Yintang. She tried very hard to stop the rivalry between the brothers so she gave her advice to Yinsi, but unknowingly, she also caused a predestination paradox, and became the cause of Yinxiang's house arrest and suffering for 10 years. The mental stress and emotional breakdown caused her to have a miscarriage after which she became unable to conceive again. An enraged Yinzhen blamed Princess Minghui and Yinsi for the loss of his child and Ruoxi's poor health. Thus, he issued an edict forcing Yinsi to divorce Minghui otherwise he would take the lives of all the people in Yinsi's household. Yinsi then divorced Minghui after she begged him to do so, as their servants and son, Hongwang were innocent. After Minghui got divorced, she soon committed suicide as she said she couldn't live without Yinsi. Ruoxi, who feared Yinzhen for his punitive actions against his brothers, confessed the truth to him. Yinzhen was stunned when he understood why Yinsi plotted against him, and started treating Ruoxi coldly. Ruoxi became mentally distressed and pleaded with Yinti to help her leave the Palace. Yinsi, who knew more than anyone else that Yinzhen would definitely not let Ruoxi leave the Palace, decided to intervene, although it would lead to tragedy. Yinsi told Yinzhen all about his relationship with Ruoxi and all the things they did together. Yinzhen, who was blinded by jealousy, angrily agreed to let Ruoxi leave the Forbidden City to marry Yinti. Leaving the Palace In spite of Yinti's fine care, Ruoxi health's started to take a turn for the worse due to her emotional anguish. Ruoxi, who knew that her days were numbered, wrote a letter to Yinzhen and asked Yinti to give it to Yinzhen in the fastest speed and that she hoped to see Yinzhen one last time before taking her last breath. Unfortunately, due to a dissension between Yinzhen and Yinti, Yinzhen dismissed the letter as a rubbish letter from Yinti again and threw it aside, unread. On the other hand, Ruoxi waited for Yinzhen for 3 days, and after realizing that he was not coming, drew her last breath. Her dies in her 30s. Zhang Xiao's spirit went back to the 21st century and no matter how hard she searched for traces of Maertai Ruoxi in the historical records, she couldn't find anything. This deeply puzzled her as she knew all those years that she spent in the Qing Dynasty were not fake. She then visited the museum where she saw a portrait of a lady who resembled Ruoxi. Tears started to flow from Zhang Xiao's eyes as she knew that she had existed and those memories were real. Just then, a man resembling Yinzhen stepped into the museum and looking at him, Zhang Xiao began to weep even more. The man was confused at Zhang Xiao's behaviour and walked away, leaving Zhang Xiao in tears. Quotes blank Trivia * Ruoxi's father, General Maertai, was a real historic figure whose daughter was married off to 8th Prince.